We are holding a Guild membership meeting on Thursday, February 6, 2014 at 5 p.m. at Locus 144 (on East Liberty, just behind the Brazen Head pub). Your bargaining committee will be there to go over the new agreement and answer questions. Right after the meeting, we will begin a secret ballot vote on whether or not members accept the agreement. The vote will continue on Friday, February 7.

We will distribute a copy of the Memorandum of Agreement before the meeting, but in the meantime, here are more details about the agreement:

-This is a three-year deal, renewable in September 2016.

– Money: Every member will receive a salary increase of at least 2% in the first year of the deal – Nearly half the members of the bargaining unit will receive salary adjustments of greater than 2% dated back to January 1, 2014. Those who don’t receive individual adjustments will have a 2% increase retroactive to September 1, 2013. In the second and third years of the deal, all members will receive 2% each year.

– Pension: There is no change.

– Benefits: There is no change. The union will be notified of any proposed changes to the plan, and we will discuss best approaches with the company.

– Vacation [corrected]: The Letter of Understanding from the last agreement is removed. The provisions of Article 25 apply to everyone: All employees start with two weeks of vacation, go to three weeks of vacation after 2 years of service, go to four weeks after seven years, and five weeks after seventeen years.

– Parental leave: There is a new provision for three days of paid leave for non-birth parents upon the birth or adoption of a child.

-We agreed to remove the provision for Performance Improvement Plans because neither the union nor management found that it had been useful.

– Salary rates and classifications: There is a new provision for the employer to create Senior classifications for existing employees, recognizing leadership, expertise in members’ field and ability to train others. Employees who are granted the Senior classification will move into the next salary group and receive a minimum 10% salary increase. The employer did not agree to the introduction of salary steps; however, the minimums in each group have been increased. We also added some parameters around salary increases within a group, above and beyond the across-the-board increases; the new language states “The employer may grant increases…to employees who consistently meet or exceed the expectations of their job.” New jobs have been added to the salary groups and several positions have been moved to a higher group in recognition of the work required. We also have a better understanding of which positions and employees belong in the bargaining unit, and which are excluded because they perform management functions.

– Finally, your CMG bargaining team and Zoomer management had a discussion about workplace bullying and harassment. Management clarified that its existing policy and complaints process cover personal harassment and that there is no tolerance for bullying in the workplace. If you ever have a concern about harassment, please speak to a member of the union executive or to Guild staff representative Terri Monture (terri@cmg.ca).

We hope to see you at the meeting on February 6, and we are happy to answer any questions you may have between now and then.